Paihia dinghy dock sinking cause may be revealed today

The cause of a dinghy dock failure at Paihia wharf may become clear today. Photo / Karen Humphrey

The reason a dinghy dock sank at Paihia wharf may become clear today when it is due to be lifted from the water for repairs.

The floating dock, on the southern side of Paihia wharf, was part of major upgrade paid for by Provincial Growth Fund grant in 2018.

Local residents reported the incident on Wednesday.

Chris Galbraith, general manager of wharf operator Far North Holdings, said water had entered one of the floating dock units causing it to sink.

The gangway had been pulled up to prevent access.

It was not yet clear how water had got in.

It may have entered through a failed seam in the moulded plastic unit, or the dock may have become jammed on the bottom during one of the past week's unusually low tides. That could have allowed the rising tide to enter around bolts in the top of the dock.

A barge due in the Bay of Islands today for another job would be used to raise and remove the dock.

No one was using the dock when it sank, Galbraith said.

The sinking was ''not a great thing'' but the timing — when the wharf was not in use due to Covid alert level 4 — was as good as could be.